Recipes of the Lost City: Gage & Tollner's Crabmeat a la Dewey

Crabmeat Dewey or Crabmeat a la Dewey was, according to Barry Popik, a specialty of two New York City restaurants—Brooklyn's singular Gage & Tollner and the Longchamps chain. The dish was on Gage & Tollner's menu as far back as 1903, and was probably named after Admiral Dewey. It's not known who invented the dish.

It's a rich dinner, with crab meat in a cream sauce, with green peppers and often mushrooms, and not a cheap or easy one to make, that's for sure. But it certainly sounds delicious.

Crab Meat a la Dewey 

3 Tbsp butter or margarine 

3 Tbsp flour 

2 cups hot milk 

salt (to taste) 

Pepper (to taste) 

1 small green pepper, parboiled and cut in 1/4—inch dice 

1 pimiento, canned, cut into 1/4 inch dice 

1 1/4 pounds crab meat, canned or fresh, well drained—and picked over 

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated 

1/4 cup bread crumbs 

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Gradually stir in the hot milk. Cook and stir until the mixture is thickened, or to the consistency of a medium cream sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently fold in the green pepper, pimiento and crab meat. Spoon into individual ramekins. 

Mix cheddar cheese with the bread crumbs and sprinkle over the ramekins. 

To cook, bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese melts.